Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister inform the House of action the government is taking to engage the community on enhanced security measures at our international airports?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Macquarie for her question. The government has introduced a series of measures on our borders as part of that $630 million package announced by the Prime Minister as part of the counter-terrorism response. That includes $150 million for standing up 80-officer counter-terrorism units at airports across our country; $34.8 million for the Outwards Advance Passenger Processing system; $50 million for outward departure gates; and $13.7 million to expand our global airline liaison officer network.

As we implement these measures across our airports, our Customs and Border Protection Service have calibrated their settings at a very high level for obvious reasons. As we introduce these new measures we ask the travelling public for tolerance, patience, understanding and sensitivity for the serious matters the officers are having to deal with. Our officers will always act in good faith and with professionalism. They will do so in accordance with the law and they will treat everyone with dignity and respect, including respect for cultural sensitivities. Our officers will screen all inbound and outbound passengers, as they always have, and they will use a range of indicators to determine which of those travellers they intend to speak to and ask further information from. This is also informed by our partnering with other law enforcement agencies and security agencies at both state and federal levels to inform this process.

The government recognises, of course, as does the service, the importance of religious events such as the upcoming Hajj and the legitimacy of travel that relates to people going to attend the Hajj. The service is consulting with relevant community groups. I can inform the House about our practices, and today the deputy CEO of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service met with the Grand Mufti and the National Imams Council in Sydney to discuss these very issues. That process will be ongoing and in other states and territories, and it is supported by the 10 ethnic liaison officers who are in my own department and who have been engaged tin similar activities. We are committed to those ongoing consultations. Additional information regarding travel to the Hajj in October is being placed on the Customs 'Know before you go' website.

The key messages are these: to turn up early; to declare any cash; and to understand the rules of prohibited items which will be set out on that website. The government would regret any inconvenience or potential embarrassment that may be caused by our officer having to go about the sensitive tasks they have to do, but we know they are doing the job we have tasked them to do to protect Australia and all Australians. They deserve our respect and courtesy for the job they are doing, and they will act with the same courtesy and respect to all those they come in contact with as they undertake their responsibilities.